This article was originally published in English
Italy is bracing for extreme weather as Storm Boris, which is sweeping across central Europe, heads south.
ADVERTISEMENTAt least 21 people have died as a result of severe flooding caused by the storm in Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Romania.
Slovakia, Hungary and Croatia are on high alert due to the risk of flooding due to rising waters. Local media report that Italy is also on alert, particularly in the regions of Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Lazio.
The regions along the Czech-Polish border were badly hit and many residents were evacuated as the storm left a trail of destruction.
Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said 13,500 people had been evacuated and more than 600 had been rescued. Since then, the flood threat in the Czech Republic has gradually decreased, with the number of flood sites dropping from more than 200 to just over 130. South Bohemia remains at risk of flooding.
Villages along the Danube also remain at risk of flooding as river levels continue to rise.
For some, this nightmare has already become reality. In the Pielach Valley and the Kamp Valley in Austria, entire villages are under water and many people have been forced to evacuate.
Hungary is also concerned that the Danube could burst its banks in the country’s capital. The mayor of Budapest has warned that the city could experience its worst flooding in a decade.
In Poland, too, the fight against flooding continues. Residents and emergency response teams have joined forces to secure rivers in some areas and bring water and food to evacuees in others.
Additional sources • EBU
